Hong Kong is one of the healthiest places in the world.[1] Because of its early health education, professional health services, and well-developed health care and medication system, Hongkongers enjoy a life expectancy of 85.9 for females and 80 for men,[2] which is the third highest in the world, and an infant mortality rate of 2.73 deaths per 1,000 births, the ninth-lowest in the world.[3][4] The proportion of the population over 65 years old is expected to grow from 14% in 2013 to 18% in 2018, and the number of people with a long-term condition is expected to increase by 33% over the same period.[5]

Mental health appears to be more of a problem than physical health. It is reported that the number of mental health patients has increased by 2% to 4% every year since 2011 from 187,000 in 2011–12 to 226,000 in 2015–16. Pressure on children from the competitive education system and high parental expectations is blamed for rising levels of anxiety and depression in young children. Primary school children are reported to spend less time outdoors playing than convicted prisoners.[6]

The Department of Health, under the Food and Health Bureau, is the health adviser of Hong Kong government and an executive arm in health legislation and policy. Its main role is to safeguard the health of the community through promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services in Hong Kong.[7] The main function of the department includes child assessment service, immunisation programmes, dental service, forensic pathology service, registration of healthcare professionals etc., though boards and councils (i.e. Medical Council of Hong Kong, Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong) are independent statutory bodies established under the relevant ordinances that operate independently to discharge their statutory functions.[8]